title: Evaluation of the genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of the alkaloid punarnavine from Boerhaavia diffusa.
abstract: Boerhaavia diffusa is a traditional herbal medicine extensively used in the Ayurveda and Unani forms of medicine in India and many parts of the world. Different parts of the plant are used as an appetizer, alexiteric, eye tonic, for flushing out the renal system, and to treat blood pressure. This study was conducted to evaluate the in vivo genotoxic and/or antigenotoxic potential of punarnavine, a separated alkaloid from the root of B. diffusa using toxicity studies (OECD guideline 474, 1997). The genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of punarnavine was assayed using the comet assay on lymphocytes, liver, spleen, brain, and bone marrow as well as using the micronucleus test in bone marrow cells including the in vitro chromosomal aberration test. The results demonstrated that none of the tested doses of punarnavine showed genotoxic effects by the comet assay, or clastogenic effects in the micronucleus test. On the other hand, for all cells evaluated, the three tested doses of punarnavine promoted inhibition of DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide. Based on these results, we concluded that punarnavine, an alkaloid from the Boerhaavia diffusa root, has no genotoxic or clastogenic effects in our experimental conditions. However, it caused a significant decrease in DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide. It is suggested that the antigenotoxic properties of this alkaloid may be of great pharmacological importance and beneficial for cancer prevention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Defence Research Laboratory, DRDO, Assam, India. vaibhav2020@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vaibhav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Aher
authors.forename: Pronobesh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: Danswrang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goyary
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Veer
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000187:drug effects*; D020552:Comet Assay; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D039281:Nyctaginaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C526689:punarnavine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide